Process of removing sulphurous compounds from oils



' (No Model.)

J. B. HUSTON. moonss 0F REMOVING SULPHUROUS COMPOUNDS FROM OILS.

No. 486,406. Patented Nov. 15, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN B. HUSTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, J. BURTONPARSONS, AND EDWARD P. WILLIAMS, OF SAME PLACE, AND SULLIVAN B.LAMOREAUX, OF WHITING, INDIANA.

PROCESS OF REMOVING SULPHUROUS COMPOUNDS FROM OILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,406, dated November15, 1892.

Application filed August 17,1891- Serial No. 402,818. (No specimens.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B.HUSTON,aciti- .zen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Oleveland,county of Ouyahoga, and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes ofRemovingSulphurous OompoundsfromOils,ofwhich the following is aspecification, the principle of the invention being herein explained andthe best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, soas to distinguish it from other inventions.

The object of my invention is to perfect a process whereby thesulphurous compounds contained in oils-such as are produced in WesternOhio, Indiana, and Oanadamay be entirely eliminated and the oil renderedfit for illuminating purposes.

It is well known that the oil produced in Western Ohio, known as Limaoil, is particularly refractory in its nature and hard to purify. Thisoil being characterized by the presence of a large amount of sulphur, itresists the action of chemicals employed in the usual process ofrefining oil, and hence requires special treatment with new agencies togive it the requisite purity and make it fit for illuminating purposes.Practical tests have shown that the sulphur contained in the oil isdistilled over at the same temperature as the oil, varying from 200 to600 Fahrenheit, and unless some chemical change is wrought nthe'sulphurous compounds while in the vapor state they will recompose inthe oil while in the condenser and go off with the oil. Oncere-established with the oil the sulphurous compounds are not removableby any chemical or other process now known and are variously offensive,causing the oil to emit disagreeable odors and unfitting it for domesticuse.

Referring to the drawing, the figure is a diagrammatic View of means forcarrying out my improved process.

The crude oil is suitably introduced into the primary retort A, where itis subjected to heat from the furnace B of a character adapted tovaporize the oil, such vapors of oil passing from out said primaryretort through the in termediate connection 0 into the secondaryretortD. Simultaneously with such passage of the oil-vapors into thesecondary retort, superheated steam is passed from worm E through theintermediate connection E into the secondary retort D, a furnace Gsuperheating 'H, independent of the other furnaces, is of a characteradapted to maintain the secondary retort D atatemperature of 900, moreor less, and the construction of said secondary retort is independent ofthe primary retort and is adapted to subject its contents of commingledoil-vapor and superheated steam to said constant temperature of about900. Under such conditions the oil-vapors are placed in suitable statefor proper action thereon of the steam. The hydrogen of the superheatedsteam at the above-described temperature thereupon unites in chemicalformation with the sulphurous compounds and forms sulphureted hydrogen,while the oxygen of the steam unites with the carbon of the remainingportion of the oil-vapors, which latter thereby becomes oxidized. Thesulphureted hydrogen and the oxidized oil-vapors together pass from outthe secondary retort into the condenser K, where they are subjected to aspray of water from perforated pipe L, the water thereby absorbing thesulphureted hydrogen and effectually completing the separation of thesulphurous compounds from the remaining portion of the oil-vapors. Bythis process the vapors of oil are reheated in a retort distinct fromthe initial retort which vaporizes the oil, and by reason of suchsecondary heating of the oil-vapors, free from the presence of oil orother liquid, said oil-vapors are superheated to about 900 as they passin constant current from the primary retort to the condenser. The steamis likewise free from the presence of oil or other liquid while it istreating the oil-vapors, such treating steam being itself superheated toabout 900, suitable for acting on the decomposed sulphurous compounds.

The result of many experiments and actual practice of mine havedemonstrated that in order to completely and thoroughly removetheobjectionable sulphurous compounds from the described class of oilsit is essential and absolutely necessary to subject the oil-Va pors tothe treatment of steam at the abovedescribed high temperature under theabove conditions.

I claim as my invention 1. The process of removing sulphurous compoundsfrom oil, consisting of, first, vaporizing the oil; second, superheatingthe oil-vapors conjointly with steam, free from the presence of oil orother liquid, to the temperature at which the snlphurous compounds aredecomposed from the remaining portion of the oil-vapors, so as tochemically unite with the hydrogen of the steam; third,separating theresultant vapors, all substantially as set forth.

2. The process of removing sulphurous compounds from oil, consisting ofthe following steps in the following order: first, vaporizing the oil ina primary retort; second, conducting such oil -vapors, and alsosuperheated steam to a secondary retort; third, superheating suchoil-vapors conjointly with such super-heated steam in said secondaryretort, free from the presence of oil or other liquid, to a temperatureof about 900; fourth, passing out the resultant vapors into a condenserand absorbing the sulphureted hydrogen into water, all substantially asset forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing to be my invention I havehereunto set my hand this 15th day of August, A. D. 1801.

JOHN B. IIUSTON. Witnesses:

WM. SECHER, NATHAN ENGELMAN.

